U.S. patent number 5,287,998 [Application Number 07/987,583] was granted by the patent office on 1994-02-22 for actuator for aerosol containers.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Fox Valley Systems, Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas J. Smrt.
United States Patent |
5,287,998 |
Smrt |
February 22, 1994 |
Actuator for aerosol containers
Abstract
An actuator for use with an aerosol container, the actuator
having a passage therethrough which terminates in an orifice, the
passage being configured such that the contents of the aerosol
container may be communicated through the passage and discharged
from the actuator at the orifice, comprising an actuator body, and
one or more pairs of wings secured to the body, each wing having a
bottom edge located proximate to the orifice and peripheral edges
which are adjacent to and intersect the bottom edge, wherein at
least a portion of the peripheral edge of at least one of the
wings, from a point wherein said edge intersects the bottom edge of
its respective wing, angles away from the body. There is further
provided a base adapted for accepting such an aerosol container
actuator.
Inventors: |
Smrt; Thomas J. (Marengo,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Fox Valley Systems, Inc. (Cary,
IL)
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Family
ID: |
24813883 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/987,583 |
Filed: |
December 8, 1992 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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700540 |
May 15, 1991 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/402.1;
222/402.13; 222/608; 239/337; 239/150; 222/162 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/208 (20130101); E01C 23/227 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E01C
23/00 (20060101); E01C 23/22 (20060101); B65D
83/14 (20060101); B65D 083/20 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/402.1,402.13,402.15,402.22,507,608 ;239/150,273,337 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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372441 |
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Feb 1983 |
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AT |
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2045318 |
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Oct 1980 |
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GB |
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Other References
European Search Report, Application No. 92304431.7-, dated Sep. 8,
1992..
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Primary Examiner: Kashnikow; Andres
Assistant Examiner: Kaufman; J. A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Leydig, Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of copending application(s) Ser. No.
07/700,540 filed on May 15, 1991 now abandoned.
Claims
We claim as our invention:
1. An actuator for use with an aerosol container, the actuator
having a passage therethrough which terminates in an orifice, the
passage being configured such that the contents of the aerosol
container are communicated through the passage and discharged from
the actuator at the orifice, comprising;
an actuator body, and;
at least one pair of wings, each wing having a bottom edge located
proximate to the orifice and a peripheral edge which is adjacent to
and intersects the bottom edge,
wherein at least a portion of one of the peripheral edges, from a
point wherein said peripheral edge intersects the bottom edge of
its respective wing, angles linearly away from the body, the angle
formed by the linear angled portion of a peripheral edge with
respect to the bottom edge of its respective wing being less than
90 degrees.
2. The actuator of claim 1, comprising two pairs of wings wherein
for each pair of wings, at least a portion of the peripheral edge
of one of the wings, from the point wherein the peripheral edge
intersects with the bottom edge of the wing, angles away from the
body.
3. The actuator of claim 2, wherein the spraying orifice is
rectangular in shape and the planes within which each pair of the
wings lies are substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension
of the orifice.
4. The actuator of claim 3 wherein each pair of wings is
tangentially secured to the body and said pairs of wings are
substantially parallel with respect to each other.
5. The actuator of claim 1, wherein said angle ranges from about 15
to 75 degrees.
6. The actuator of claim 2, wherein said angle is about 45
degrees.
7. A base adapted for accepting an aerosol container actuator and
residing on a movable marking device, the base having a bottom wall
and an opening therein through which the contents of an aerosol
container are discharged, said base comprising at least one
inclined planar surface located on one side of the opening, which
surface diverges upwardly with respect to the bottom wall and
outwardly with respect to the opening, the upwardly extending
inclined surface terminating at an inclined side wall which has an
angle of inclination with respect to the bottom wall which is
greater than the angle of the inclined surface.
8. The base according to claim 7, further comprising at least two
such inclined planar surfaces, said inclined planar surfaces being
located on opposite sides of the opening.
9. The base of claim 8 further comprising a pair of aligning blocks
located on the bottom wall of the base on opposite sides of the
opening, the blocks being arranged to define anterior and posterior
sections of the base, one of the inclined surfaces being located in
the posterior section of the base, the second of the inclined
surfaces being located in the anterior section of the base.
10. The base according to claim 9, further comprising a second pair
of inclined surfaces which diverge upwardly with respect to the
bottom wall and outwardly with respect to the opening, each of the
second inclined surfaces having an angle which is substantially
equal to the other with respect to the bottom wall as well as to
the first inclined surfaces, the second pair of inclined surfaces
terminating at inclined side walls which have angles of inclination
with respect to the bottom wall which are greater than the angle of
the inclined surfaces, one of the second pair of inclined surfaces
being located in the posterior section of the base and opposite a
first inclined surface, the second of the second pair of inclined
surfaces being located in the anterior section of the base and
opposite a first inclined surface.
11. The base of claim 10, further comprising a handle and
maneuvering the marking device, wherein the base is located on the
handle.
12. A system for applying a mark onto a surface comprising an
aerosol container which discharges marking material, the container
having an actuator thereon, and a movable marking device,
the device comprising a base having a bottom wall and an opening
therein through which the marking material in the aerosol container
is discharged, said base comprising a first pair of inclined planar
surfaces located on opposite sides of the opening, which surfaces
diverge upwardly with respect to the bottom wall and outwardly with
respect to the opening, the upwardly extending inclined surfaces
having substantially equal angles with respect to the bottom edge,
and
a pair of aligning blocks located on the bottom wall of the base on
opposite sides of the opening, the blocks being arranged to define
anterior and posterior sections of the base, one of the first pair
of inclined surfaces being located in the posterior section of the
base, the second of the first pair of inclined surfaces being
located in the anterior section of the base,
the actuator having a passage therethrough which terminates in an
orifice, the passage being configured such that the marking
material in the aerosol container is communicated through the
passage and discharged from the actuator at the orifice, the
actuator comprising an actuator body and two pairs of wings
tangentially secured to the body such that each pair of wings lies
within planes which are substantially parallel with respect to each
other, each wing having a bottom edge located proximate to the
orifice and peripheral edges which are adjacent to and intersect
the bottom edge,
wherein at least a portion of the peripheral edges, from a point
wherein each of said peripheral edges intersects the bottom edge of
its respective wing, angles linearly away from the body, the linear
angled portion of the peripheral edge and the bottom edge of each
wing defining an angle, each angle being less than 90 degrees and
substantially equivalent to the other as well as to the first
inclined surfaces of the base, the portion of the peripheral edge
of each wing which angles away from the body at least partially
contacting a corresponding first inclined surface of the base when
the actuator is positioned onto the base.
13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a second
pair of inclined surfaces diverging outwardly and upwardly from the
opening, each of the second inclined surfaces extending in a plane
which is generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of
the marking device, each of the second inclined surfaces having an
angle which is substantially equivalent to the other with respect
to the bottom wall and to the first inclined surfaces, each of the
second inclined surfaces extending in a plane which is
substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the marking
device, one of the second pair of inclined surfaces being located
in the posterior section of the base and opposite a first inclined
surface, the second of the second pair of inclined surfaces being
located in the anterior section of the base and opposite a first
inclined surface.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of
the peripheral edges, from the point wherein each of said
peripheral edges intersect with the bottom edge of its respective
wing, angles away from the body, the angle-of the peripheral edge
being substantially equivalent to each other.
15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a pair of
inclined side walls, wherein each of the first inclined surfaces
terminate at a separate inclined side wall, the side walls having
angles of inclination with respect to the bottom wall which are
greater than the angle of the inclined surfaces.
16. The system according to claim 15, further comprising a second
pair of inclined side walls, said second side walls intersecting
with the first pair of side walls such that an enclosure about the
bottom wall of the base is formed.
17. The actuator of claim 12, wherein said angle defined by the
linear angled portion of the peripheral edge and the bottom edge of
each wing ranges from about 15 to about 75 degrees.
18. The actuator of claim 13, wherein said angle defined by the
linear angled portion of the peripheral edge and the bottom edge of
each wing ranges from about 15 to about 75 degrees.
19. The actuator of claim 14, wherein said angle defined by the
linear angled portion of the peripheral edge and the bottom edge of
each wing is about 45 degrees.
20. A system for applying a mark onto a surface comprising
an aerosol container which discharged marking material, the
container having an actuator thereon, and
a movable marking device, the device comprising a base which
accepts the aerosol container actuator,
the base comprising a bottom wall and an opening therein through
which the marking material in the aerosol container is discharged
and at least one inclined planar surface located on one side of the
opening, which surface diverges upwardly with respect to the bottom
wall and outwardly with respect to the opening, the upwardly
extending inclined surface terminating at an inclined side wall
which has an angle of inclination with respect to the bottom wall
which is greater than the angle of the inclined surface,
the actuator comprising a passage therethrough which terminates in
an orifice, the passage being configured such that the contents of
the aerosol container are communicated through the passage and
discharged from the actuator at the orifice, an actuator body, and
at least one pair of wings, each wing having a bottom edge located
proximate to the orifice and a peripheral edge which is adjacent to
and intersects the bottom edge, wherein at least a portion of one
of the peripheral edges, from a point wherein said peripheral edge
intersects the bottom edge of its respective wing, angles linearly
away from the body, the angle formed by the linear angled portion
of a peripheral edge with respect to the bottom edge of its
respective wing being less than 90 degrees.
21. The actuator of claim 20, wherein said angle ranges from about
15 to 75 degrees.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to actuators for use in effecting
the discharge of compositions from aerosol containers. More
particularly, the present invention relates to actuators for
aerosol containers, which containers are intended for use with
maneuverable marking devices such as parking lot line stripers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Maneuverable marking devices, which are well known in the art, are
commonly used for a variety of purposes, e.g., for the striping or
line marking of a variety of surfaces. For example, such devices
have been used to mark the location of a property line, underground
pipes or cables, planting areas for nursery stock as well as
boundaries of athletic fields. Additional, and more common, uses of
such marking devices are the application of marks in the form of
stripes to delineate parking spaces, walkways, and the like.
Many currently available spraying devices use aerosol containers or
cans as the sole source of marking material. Upon preparing to use
one of these devices, an operator will typically insert the aerosol
can into the device in an inverted configuration. Such positioning
allows the orifice of the actuator to direct the marking material
onto the surface over which the device will be subsequently
propelled.
Devices which utilize the aforesaid aerosol containers are
especially economical where the particular marking application is
relatively small. Such economy arises primarily from the fact that
a pressure source, e.g., an air compressor, is not required to
effect discharge of the marking material from its source.
Moreover, such marking devices provide further advantages at the
time the supply of marking material in a particular can is
exhausted. For example, an empty can may simply be removed from the
device and a new can inserted in its place. Such a procedure
eliminates the need for clean-up of the marking material delivery
system, as is typically required when a non-aerosol can-based
marking device is employed.
The foregoing, as well as other advantages, e.g., ease of use, low
initial start-up costs, and low maintenance costs, have made
marking devices which employ aerosol cans as their source of
marking material a very popular design.
Although hand-held marking devices are typically used for
non-critical applications, it is generally recognized that a
marking device which is wheeled along the surface to be marked is
preferable for applications where a relatively high degree of
accuracy is desired. However, unless the orifice is centered with
regard to the device, as well as to the mark which is to be
applied, it will be difficult to produce a consistently uniform
mark. For example, if the orifice is not centered, one edge of the
mark may receive less marking material than the opposite side,
resulting in a non-uniform mark.
One method which has been employed to enhance the uniformity
achieved when attempting to produce a wide mark, e.g., a parking
lot stripe, is the use of an actuator orifice which is generally
slotted, or rectangular, in shape. In such cases, the widest
portion of the slot is oriented perpendicular to the direction of
movement of the spraying device. Such orientation allows for wide,
and uniform, distribution of the marking material across the width
of the mark.
The above adoption of a slotted orifice does not, however,
completely remedy the problem of non-uniformity. More specifically,
such does not ensure that the orifice will be centered with regard
to the device. One actuator design which attempts to address this
centering, and therefore uniformity, problem is disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,396,153. The '153 patent discloses an actuator for an
aerosol can having two pairs of flexible and resilient wings which
extend outwardly from opposing sides of the actuator body. Upon
insertion of an aerosol can having such an actuator into a base on
the marking device which has been designed to accept such an
actuator, the wings engage inclined side walls of the base such
that the rectangular actuator orifice is aligned perpendicular to
the direction of travel of the marking device. If desired, the
corners of the wings may be rounded in order to facilitate the
insertion and alignment of the actuator.
In order for the actuator disclosed in the '153 patent to function
as intended, however, the lateral dimensions of the wings must be
precisely set so as to fit within the dimensions of the base. For
example, if the lateral dimension of the wings are in excess of the
optimum, the wings will not fit securely onto the base of the
device. On the other hand, if the wings are too small, the
actuator, and hence the orifice, will not be securely positioned on
the base, this resulting in the orifice not being centered on the
base. In summary, then, an oversized actuator will not be able to
fit within the confines of the base thereby rendering the device
inoperable, while an undersized actuator will result in the
production of less than the highest quality marks due to the
movement of the orifice about the base.
Accordingly, a need exists for an actuator and spraying device
which will simply and inexpensively compensate for any under or
oversizing of the actuator or of any dimensional irregularities
present in the base of the marking device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There has now been developed an actuator for use with an aerosol
container, the actuator having a passage therethrough which
terminates in an orifice, the passage being configured such that
the contents of the aerosol container may be communicated through
the passage and discharged from the actuator at the orifice,
comprising an actuator body, and at least one pair of wings secured
to the body, each wing having a bottom edge located proximate to
the orifice and a peripheral edge which is adjacent to and
intersects the bottom edge. At least a portion of the peripheral
edge of at least one wing, from a point wherein said peripheral
edge intersects the bottom edge of its respective wing, angles away
from the body.
There is further provided a base adapted for accepting an aerosol
container actuator and residing on a movable marking device, the
base having a bottom wall and an opening therein through which the
contents of an aerosol container may be discharged, said base
comprising at least one inclined planar surface located on one side
of the opening which surface diverges upwardly with respect to the
bottom wall and outwardly with respect to the opening, the inclined
surface terminating at an inclined side wall which has an angle of
inclination with respect to the bottom wall which is greater than
the angle of the inclined surface.
When an aerosol container having the aforedescribed actuator is
inserted into a compatible holder of a marking device, the inclined
surfaces function in combination with the actuator wings to align
the preferred rectangular spraying orifice perpendicular to the
intended direction of travel of the spraying device. The blocks
located on the base of the holder and side walls also assist in
this function. Furthermore, and in accordance with the invention,
the angled edge of one or more of the wings, in conjunction with
the inclined surfaces of the holder, functions to automatically
laterally center the rectangular orifice with regard to the opening
in the base, regardless of any dimensional imperfections present in
the base and/or wings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a maneuverable marking device
including an aerosol marking container, wherein the marking device
and the aerosol container are capable of accepting an actuator
configured in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the aerosol container shown in FIG. 1 in
which the aerosol container is positioned in a handle of the
marking device.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the actuator configured in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, wherein a
portion of the actuator is broken away so as to better illustrate
the configuration of the actuator.
FIG. 4a is a side view of the actuator shown in FIG. 3, wherein the
first angled edge of one wing is illustrated and a portion of the
cylindrical actuator body as well as the first angled edge of the
second wing are shown in phantom.
FIG. 4b is a bottom view of the actuator taken along line 4b--4b of
FIG. 4a.
FIG. 4c is a side view of the actuator shown in and taken along
line 4c--4c of FIG. 4a, wherein a flow passage within the actuator
is shown in phantom.
FIG. 4d is a bottom view of a third embodiment of an actuator
wherein the non-angled portions of the wings are shorter than the
angled portions of the wings.
FIG. 4e is a bottom view of yet another embodiment of an actuator
of the present invention wherein each wing in a wing pair does not
lie in the same plane.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an actuator configured in
accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6a is a fragmentary view of a base of the marking device taken
along line 6a--6a of FIG. 2, wherein the actuator shown in FIG. 2
is omitted.
FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view of the base shown in and taken
along line 6b--6b of FIG. 6a.
FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view of the base shown in and taken
along line 6c--6c of FIG. 6a.
FIG. 7a is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the base and the
actuator taken along line 7a--7a of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7b is a cross-sectional view of the base and the actuator
taken along line 7b--7b of FIG. 7a.
FIG. 7c is a cross-sectional view of the base and the actuator
taken along line 7c--7c of FIG. 7a, wherein wings attached to the
actuator body are oversized.
FIG. 7d is a cross-sectional view of the base and the actuator
taken along line 7d--7d of FIG. 7a, wherein the wings attached to
the actuator body are undersized.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of a second embodiment of the base
shown in and taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 2, wherein the actuator
shown in FIG. 2 is omitted.
FIG. 9 is a bottom view of an actuator having a single pair of
wings located centrally on the body.
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view of a base of a marking device
designed to accommodate the actuator of FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an
actuator which is suitable for effecting the discharge of the
contents of an aerosol container onto a surface as well as a base
capable of receiving this actuator. Upon integration of the
actuator and base into a movable marking device, the present
invention further provides for the production of a uniform mark on
a desired surface irrespective of the dimensional imperfections
associated with either the actuator or the base.
Turning initially to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a marking device 10
having wheels 14 affixed thereto which allow movement of the device
over a surface along a substantially linear path. Such device
generally comprises a housing 12 and a handle 16. As a convenience,
a pointer 22 may also be included on the device 10, this assisting
an operator in moving the device along a desired path. Further, a
counterbalancing member 15 may also be advantageously appended to
the device 10 to assist in, as the name implies, counterbalancing
the downward force applied to the handle by the operator when
maneuvering the device. Without such counterbalancing, the downward
force associated with the pushing of the device by the operator
during maneuvering tends to lift the front wheels 14 from the
surface, thus allowing the device to stray from its intended
course. A more detailed description of such a counterbalancing
member, as well as the advantages inherent therein, may be found in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,104.
The handle 16 itself, although previously described as a means by
which an operator may maneuver the device, also provides a means by
which the discharge of the contents of an aerosol container may be
effected. More specifically, the handle 16 includes a holder 18
which is configured to receive, and secure therein, an aerosol
container 20. FIG. 2, which is an enlarged view of FIG. 1,
illustrates such a container 20 mounted securely within the holder
18. The container 20 is typically inserted and secured in an
inverted position in the holder 18 such that the marking material
may be applied in a downward direction, onto a surface over which
the device traverses.
In order to effect a discharge of marking material from the device
10, a container 20, which includes an actuator 24, is placed into
the holder 18. When inserted properly, the container 20 rests upon
a support base 26 of the holder 18. An actuator rod 32, which is
operated by a trigger 13 (see FIG. 1) located on an upper end of
the handle assembly 16, is used to actuate, or open, an internal
container valve (not shown) by forcing the bottom 30 of the
container 20 towards the base 26. When the valve is open, the
contents of the container 20 are forced through and out of the
container 20 by the internal pressure provided by a suitable
propellant located within the container 20. After the contents of
the container 20 pass through the valve, they continue through a
valve stem 28 and enter the actuator 24. In the actuator 24, the
contents pass through a passage 36 (see FIGS. 4a and 4c) and
subsequently are discharged into the atmosphere through an orifice
38 (see FIGS. 3 and 4a). After the contents of the can 20 pass
through the orifice 38, the contents pass through an opening 41 in
the base 26 (see FIG. 6a), through the interior of the housing 12,
and onto the surface over which the marking device 10 is
located.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the actuator 24 is shown configured in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention having two
pairs of wings, each pair being tangentially located on opposite
sides of the body, and each pair of wings being substantially
parallel to the other. The actuator 24 includes, preferably, a
generally cylindrical body 40 containing a passage 36 (see FIGS. 4a
and 4c) through which, as mentioned previously, the contents of the
container flow upon actuation of the internal valve. A first end 42
of the body 40 is advantageously rotatably fastened to the valve
stem 28 of the aerosol container 20. As illustrated in FIG. 4c, the
first end 42 of the body 40 may be provided with beveled surfaces
60. These beveled surfaces 60 are described in detail in U.S. Pat.
No. 3,817,429, this reference being hereby incorporated by
reference. A second end 44 of the body 40, opposite the first end
42, provides an orifice 38 through which the contents of the
container, e.g., marking material, are discharged to the
atmosphere. It is through these first 42 and second 44 ends of the
body 40 that a longitudinal axis of the actuator body 40
passes.
The passage 36 itself, as illustrated in phantom in FIGS. 4a and
4c, is comprised of a lower portion 58 and an upper portion 58a.
The upper portion 58a, which is advantageously frustro-conical in
configuration, is adapted for mounting onto the valve stem 28. The
lower portion 58, which is similarly shaped into the advantageous
frustro-conical configuration, terminates at a preferred
rectangular, or slotted, spraying orifice 38.
Turning now to FIG. 4b, it will be appreciated that this particular
embodiment of the present invention is an actuator 24 having what
may generally be described as an H-shaped cross section in the
plane which extends generally perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis of the body 40. Although the illustrated embodiments of the
actuator 24 throughout most of this description contain two pairs
of wings 46a, 46b and 47a, 47b, only one pair of wings is
necessary, although two pairs of wings are preferred. Additional
wings may be included within the actuator and used successfully,
provided, of course, they are configured in accordance with and
complementary to the description contained herein.
As mentioned previously, one embodiment of the present actuator 24,
as illustrated in FIG. 4b, includes two pairs of wings 46a, 46b and
47a, 47b, which, as illustrated, are fastened tangentially to the
body 40. Although tangential attachment is preferred, it is not
required. The wings may be attached on opposite sides of the body,
nontangentially.
Preferably each pair of wings lies in planes which are
substantially parallel with each other, i.e., they are parallel to
each other within about 2.degree. to about 5.degree.. Again,
however, it is not required that the wing pairs lie in parallel
planes. Indeed, the wings may be affixed to the body in any
desirable configuration. As but one alternative example, the wings
may be attached to the body such that when viewed from the bottom,
the cross-section may take the shape of an "X".
Each pair of wings are preferably rectangular in shape and are
advantageously secured to the body 40 so that each wing is of
approximately equal length. When two pairs of wings are employed,
they preferably are secured on opposite sides of the body 40, with
each wing of each wing pair being located in the same plane.
Alternatively, the wings may be independently secured to the body
40 so that the wings of each wing pair do not lie in the same
plane. An example of such an alternative configuration is
illustrated in FIG. 4e.
When two pairs of wings are tangentially mounted, each pair of
wings will have a left wing "a" and a right wing "b", the left wing
"a" being defined as the wing on the left side of the body when
viewing the actuator 24 from the top with the orifice 38
horizontally aligned, and for discussion purposes it does not
matter which wing is rotated to be on the right or left side.
Further, each wing is terminated by a peripheral edge as
illustrated in FIG. 3, i.e., each wing terminates at a peripheral
wing edge 61, 62, 63, or 64.
Each of the pairs of wings 46, 47 also includes bottom edges 56a,
56b and 57a, 57b. This edge is defined as that longitudinal edge
which is proximate to the orifice. In accordance with an important
aspect of the present invention illustrated by FIG. 4a, at least a
portion of the peripheral edges 61, 63 of the wings 46a, 47b from
the point they intersect with the bottom edges 56a, 57b of their
respective wings, angle away from the body 40. The angle of these
angled edges .theta., which is measured using the bottom edge as a
baseline, should be less than 90.degree. preferably between about
75.degree. and 15.degree., preferably 45.degree. or less and most
preferably about 45.degree.. Moreover, the angles for each of the
wings preferably are substantially identical, i.e., within about
5.degree. of each other.
Referring now to FIGS. 6-7, the base 26 of the container holder 18
includes a bottom wall 67 and an opening 41 therein through which
the contents of the aerosol container may be discharged. The
opening 41 may be of any configuration and size, although it should
be large enough to allow the contents of the aerosol container 20
to be discharged therethrough undisturbed. Preferably, however, the
opening 41 will be square or rectangular in nature.
The base 26 further comprises a first pair of inclined surfaces 65,
66 which are located on opposite sides of the opening. Such
surfaces 65, 66 diverge upwardly with respect to the bottom wall 67
of the base 26 and outwardly with respect to the opening 41. The
angles at which these surfaces incline upward, using the bottom of
the base as a baseline, should be less than 90.degree., preferably
between about 75.degree. and 15.degree., and advantageously about
45.degree.. While any angle less than 90.degree. will work as
intended, to obtain the full advantages associated with the
self-centering aspect of the present invention, the angles .theta.
should be, as indicated, between about 75.degree. and 15.degree.,
preferably 45.degree. or less, and most preferably about
45.degree.. Moreover, these angles, i.e., of the inclined surfaces
65, 66 and peripheral edges 61, 63, are preferably substantially
equal to each other, i.e., within about 5.degree..
Further, the first pair of inclined surfaces 65, 66 terminate at
first and second inclined side walls 71, 72, respectively. The side
walls 71, 72 have a greater degree of perpendicularity than the
first inclined surfaces 65, 66, i.e., the angle .theta. of the
first side walls 71, 72 is greater than that of the first inclined
surfaces 65, 66, using the bottom 67 of the base 26 as a baseline.
In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention,
the aforesaid first inclined surfaces 65, 66 are adapted to receive
the angled portions of the peripheral edges 61, 63 of the actuator
24. Thus, the aforesaid angle chosen for the inclined surfaces 65,
66 as mentioned previously, should be essentially equivalent to the
corresponding angle 8 on the peripheral edges 61, 63 of the
actuator wings 46, 47. When such correspondence is realized,
significant advantages flow therefrom. For example, turning to FIG.
7a, if the actuator 24 is the correct size, i.e., the length of the
wings correspond with the shortest distance between one inclined
side wall 71 of the base 26 to the second inclined side wall 72 of
the base 26, the actuator 24 will be securely held within the base
26. Further, and significantly, the orifice 38 will be properly
centered with regard to the opening 41 in the bottom of the base
26. An illustration of such proper fit is given in FIGS. 7a and
7b.
It will also be appreciated from FIG. 6a that the first inclined
surfaces 65, 66 preferably begin their incline from the bottom 67
of the base 26 at a predetermined distance from the opening 41,
this distance between the beginning of the inclination of each
surface 64, 65 corresponding to the length of the bottom edges 56a,
57b of the wings 46a, 47b of the actuator 24. If the bottom edges
56a, 57b of the actuator 24 are shortened, then the surfaces may be
moved a corresponding distance closer to the opening 41 in the base
26. Of course, if the bottom edges 56a, 57b of the actuator 24 are
shortened too extensively, it may be appropriate to decrease the
size of the opening 41 accordingly.
If, however, the wing lengths, and hence the actuator 24, is
undersized, or the base 26 is oversized, as illustrated in FIG. 7d,
the present actuator 24 allows the orifice 38 to remain centered
with respect to the opening 41 in the bottom 67 of the base 26.
Moreover, the actuator 24 continues to be firmly held in the base
26 of the holder 18. This is due to the design of the actuator 24
and the base 26, more precisely, the angles .theta. in the
peripheral edges 61, 63 of the wings 46a, 47b acting to prevent the
actuator 24 from moving laterally within the base 26 despite the
dimensional aberrations.
Alternatively, if the actuator is oversized, or the base is
undersized, as exemplified by FIG. 7c, the actuator 24 and hence
the orifice 38 will remain centered with respect to the opening 41
in the base 26. As is apparent from FIG. 7c, the angles .theta. in
the peripheral edges 61, 63 of the wings 46a, 47b in coordination
with the inclined surfaces of 65, 66 and the base 26, prevent the
actuator 24 from moving laterally within the base 26 while allowing
centering of the orifice 38 with respect to the opening 41 to
occur.
In a preferred embodiment of the aforesaid actuator wherein only
the peripheral edges 61, 63 are angled, the non-angled, or second
edges 62, 64 are advantageously longitudinally shortened such that,
if the actuator is oversized or the base is undersized, the
non-angled edge will not contact the side walls 71, 72. Such will
eliminate any potential detrimental effect on the centering of the
orifice by the non-angled second edges 62, 64. This embodiment is
exemplified in FIG. 4d.
For the aforesaid reason, another embodiment of the present
invention, as illustrated in FIG. 5, provides for angling the
second set of peripheral edges 62, 64 of the wings 46b, 47a.
Preferably, the angle of the peripheral edges 62, 64 are
approximately the same as for the peripheral edges 61, 63. In other
words, angle .alpha. preferably is substantially equivalent to
angle .theta. as precisely described, i.e., within about 5.degree..
In this way, the aforesaid potential problem may be easily
resolved. Of course, the bottom 67 of the base 26 will require
modification to inure the full benefit associated with the angling
of all peripheral edges of both wings 46, 47. It should be
appreciated that the embodiment of the actuator 24 shown in FIG. 5
will function properly in combination with a base 26 having only
two inclined surfaces 65 or 66 as shown in FIG. 6a. Of course, the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5 also functions properly in a base 26
having four inclined surfaces 65, 66, 74, 75 as shown in FIG.
8.
The modification to the base to fully utilize an actuator having
four angled edges will require the base 26 to further include a
second pair of inclined surfaces 74, 75 which, like the first
surfaces 65, 66, diverge upwardly with respect to the bottom wall
67 and outwardly with respect to the opening 41. Moreover, each of
the second inclined surfaces 74, 75 should have an angle which is
substantially equal to the other with respect to the bottom wall as
well as to the peripheral inclined surfaces 65, 66, i.e., within
about 5.degree..
In order to prevent the actuator from moving anteriorally or
posteriorally with respect to the base, two aligning blocks 78, 79
are located on the bottom wall 67 of the base 26, the blocks being
placed on opposite sides of the opening 41. It is these blocks 78,
79 which define the anterior and posterior sections of the base 26.
The blocks 78, 79 are sized so as to fit between the first and
second sets of wings 46a and 46b and 47a and 47b of the actuator
24, thereby preventing the previously described movement. In order
to assist the wings 46a and 46b and 47a and 47b into position, each
aligning block 78, 79 has an inverted V-shaped upper surface.
Moreover, and advantageously, a second set of inclined side walls
84, 85 may also be advantageously included in the base 26. These
second side walls 84, 85 would intersect the first side walls 71,
72 such that an enclosure about the bottom wall 67 of the base is
formed. It is this interaction of the wings 46a, 46b, 47a, 47b,
inclined side walls 71, 72, 84, 85, and blocks 78, 79 which provide
for increased ease of alignment of the preferred rectangular
spraying orifice 38 into the proper position with respect to the
direction of movement of the marking device 10, i.e., wherein the
longitudinal dimension of the orifice is perpendicular to the
direction of movement. For example, if the actuator 24 is inserted
into the holder 18 at an improper angle, the second inclined side
walls 84, 85 function to rotate the wings 46a, 46b, 47a, 47b of the
actuator 24 into the proper position as the container 20 is
inserted into the holder 18. It is for this reason that at least
the wings are advantageously formed from a resilient and flexible
material. A detailed description of this rotation procedure may be
found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,153.
As previously mentioned, additional advantages may be obtained when
the orifice is rectangular in shape and the planes of each pair of
wings lie are substantially parallel to the longitudinal dimension
of the orifice. In such a case, the longitudinal dimension of the
orifice is aligned perpendicular to the direction of movement of
the device. This material results in a relatively wide, uniform
spray of marking material being evenly distributed over the
intended marking area as the marking device is traversed along a
surface.
Illustrated in FIG. 9 is an embodiment of the present invention
employing only one pair of wings. As illustrated, the single pair
of wings are centrally attached to the midpoint of the body 40,
however, such a single pair of wings could likewise be attached at
any useful point to the body 40, including tangentially to the top
or bottom of the body 40. As illustrated, again, a pair of wings,
47a, 47b, are centrally attached to the body 40, and are in a
common plane, in which the orifice, 38, also lies. Thus, the
orifice, as illustrated, is in the form of a rectangular slot which
lies in the same plane as wings 47a and 47b. Both wings terminate
at a peripheral wing edge, 64 and 63, respectively. Further, each
wing includes a bottom edge, 57a and 57b, respectively. As
illustrated, at least a portion of the peripheral edge 63, of wing
47b, is angled, from the point where said edge 63 intersects with
the bottom edge 57b, away from the body 40.
FIG. 10 illustrates a complimentary base for use with an actuator
as illustrated in FIG. 9. Again, the base 26 of the container
holder 18 is illustrated having a bottom wall 67 and an opening 41
therein through which the contents of the aerosol container may be
discharged. The base 26 further comprises an inclined surface 65
which diverges upwardly with respect to the bottom wall 67 of the
base 26 and outwardly with respect to the opening 41. The angle at
which the inclined surface inclines upwardly, using the bottom of
the base as a baseline, again, should be less than 90.degree.,
preferably between about 75.degree. and 15.degree., and
advantageously about 45.degree.. Such angles should also be
employed for the angled portion of the peripheral edge 63 of the
actuator illustrated in FIG. 9 in order for the actuator to most
properly fit in the base 26. Also as illustrated in FIG. 10, the
inclined surface 65 terminates at a side wall 71 which has a
greater degree of perpendicularity than the inclined surface 65.
The inclined surface 65 is thus adapted to receive the angled
portion of the peripheral edge 63 of the actuator 24, as
illustrated in FIG. 9.
As discussed previously, many other embodiments and configurations
of both the actuator and base, all within the scope of the present
invention, may be designed and effectively employed. It is intended
that all such modifications and variations be within the scope of
the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *